Installation including a prime mover and means for extracting energy from a hot fluid medium and using it to drive the prime mover

ABSTRACT

A hot fluid medium is passed through a heat exchanger and heats in it an emulsion of a refrigerant material in a liquid. Refrigerant vapor thereby produced drives a prime mover and vapor that has done work in the prime mover is brought into contact with a liquid and thereby condensed. The condensate is supplied to the emulsion in the heat exchanger.

United States Patent [1 1 Davies et al.

[ 5] Nov. 27, 1973 INSTALLATION INCLUDING A PRIME MOVER AND MEANS FOREXTRACTING ENERGY FROM A HOT FLUID MEDIUM AND USING IT TO DRIVE THEPRIME MOVER [76] Inventors: John Moseley Davies, Lavender Cottage,Weeden Ln., Amersham; John Colin Clarke, Darien 6 Abbey Ln., Northwich,both of England [22] Filed: Jan. 6, 1972 [2]] Appl. No.: 215,894

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 33,579, May1, 1970,

abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. 60/36, 60/38 [51] Int. Cl. F01k 25/10 [58] Field of Search60/36, 39, 40

[56] References Cited I UNITED STATES PATENTS 427,399 5/1890 Campbell60/36 427,40] 5/l890 Campbell 60/36 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS294,882 9/ 1929 Great Britain 60/36 Primary Examiner-Martin P. SchwadronAssistant Examiner-Allen M. Ostrager Attorney-Brumbaugh, Graves, Donohue& Raymond [57] ABSTRACT A hot fluid medium is passed through a heatexchanger and heats in it an emulsion of a refrigerant material in aliquid. Refrigerant vapor thereby produced drives a prime mover andvapor that has done work in the prime mover is brought into contact witha liquid and thereby condensed. The condensate is supplied to theemulsion in the heat exchanger.

24 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure Patented Nov; 27, 1973 INVENTORS.

JOHN MOSELEY DAVIES 8 JOHN COLIN CLARKE their ATTORNEYS.

1 INSTALLATION INCLUDING A PRIME MOVER AND MEANS FOR EXTRACTING ENERGYFROM A HOT FLUID MEDIUM AND USING IT TO DRIVE TI-IE PRIME MOVER This isa continuation, of application Ser. No. 33,579 frled May 1, 1970, nowabandoned.

This invention relates to an installation including a prime mover andmeans for extracting energy from a hot fluid medium and using it todrive the prime mover.

The invention also relates to a method of extracting energy from a hotfluid medium and using it to drive a prime mover.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided aninstallation comprising a heat exchanger in which there is an emulsionof a refrigerant material in a liquid, means for passing a hot fluidmedium through the heat exchanger to heat the emulsion without cominginto contact with it and to produce refrigerant vapor from the emulsion,a prime mover which is driven by the refrigerant vapor, means forbringing into contact with a liquid the vapor which has done work in theprime mover whereby the vapor is condensed and means for supplying thecondensate to the emulsion in the heat exchanger.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a methodof extracting energy from a hot fluid medium and using it to drive aprime mover comprising passing the hot fluid medium through a heatexchanger in which there is an emulsion of a refrigerant material in aliquid so that the emulsion is heated without coming into contact withthe hot fluid medium and refrigerant vapor is produced from theemulsion, using the refrigerant vapor to drive the prime mover, bringinginto contact with a liquid the vapor which has done work in the primemover whereby the vapor is condensed and supplying the condensate to theemulsion in the heat exchanger.

Preferably, the liquid which with the refrigerant material forms theemulsion is water, in which case the refrigerant material may be Freon(a registered trade mark). The liquid which condenses the vapor whichhas done work in the prime mover is preferably also water and it isadvantageous for it to flow repeatedly round a closed path, through onevessel in which it comes into contact with the refrigerant vapor andcondenses it and through another heat exchanger in which it is itselfcooled. The prime mover may be an engine or a turbine.

An example in accordance with the invention is described below withreference to the accompanying drawing, which diagrammaticallyillustrates an installation including a prime mover and means forextracting energy from a hot fluid medium and using it to drive theprime mover.

The prime mover is an engine referenced l and drives a shaft 11. The hotfluid medium is waste steam at 20 p.s.i.g. and it is passed through theshell of a heat 2 ing the engine after doing work in it proceeds,possibly with some condensate,- to a vessel 3 in which it comes intodirect contact with water and is thereby condensed. The water is pumpedby a pump 2 repeatedly round a closed path, through the vessel 3 andthrough the shell of another heat exchanger 5 of the tube-andshell type,through the tubes of which cooling air or water passes to cool the waterbefore it returns to the vessel 3. Condensed refrigerant is pumped fromthe vessel 3 to the separating vessel 9 by a pump 6 and from there it ispumped by the pump 8 to the tubes of the heat exchanger 10. A pump 7transfers water from the vessel 3 to the'vessel 9 when a valve 12 isopen. The valve is controlled by a signal from a device 13 whichmonitors the liquid level in the vessel 3, the arrangement being suchthat the liquid level is maintained constant. A valve 14 in series withthe pump 6 is controlled exchanger 10 of the tube-and-shell type. Thetubes of the heat exchanger contain an emulsion of Freeon 12" in water.Some of the Freon is vaporized and the vapor passes, with some liquid,out of the heat exchanger into a separating vessel 9 from which liquidis pumped back to the tubes of the heat exchanger 10 by a pump 8 andrefrigerant vapor passes through an expansion valve 4 to the engine,which it drives, entering at 600 p.s.i.a. and leaving at l 15 p.s.i.a.The vapor leavby a signal from a device 15 which monitors the liquidlevel in the vessel 9, the arrangement being such that this liquid leveltoo is maintained constant.

Thev emulsion contains a non-volatile emulsifying agent.

The pressures could, of course, be substantially different from thosementioned above. Also, a refrigerant material other than Freon could beemployed.

A double or multiple effect system could be obtained by using the cooledfluid leaving the shell of the heat exchanger 10 or the heated fluidleaving the tubes of the heat exchanger 5 to vaporize refrigerant inanother heat exchanger in another installation like the illustrated one.

We claim:

1. An energy conversion installation comprising an emulsion of a firstliquid in a second liquid, heating means for heating said emulsionwhereby one of said liquids is at least partially vaporized, a primemover arranged to receive and be driven by the vapor of said one liquidand a condensing means arranged to receive from the prime mover andcondense vapor of said one liquid which has done work in the primemover, the condensing means communicating with said emulsion at saidheating means to return .the condensed vapor thereto.

2. An installation according to claim 1 in which said heating means is aheat exchanger means in which said emulsion is heated by placing it inheat exchange relationship through indirect contact with a hot fluidmedium flowing through the heat exchanger means.

3. An installation according to claim 2 and further comprising aseparating vessel connected to the heat exchanger means to receive fromit said one liquid and its vapor which are separated in the separatingvessel and means for returning said one liquid from the separatingvessel to the heat exchanger means.

4. An installation according to claim 3 wherein said condensing meanscomprises a further vessel in which direct contact between the vapor ofsaid one liquid and a liquid medium takes place, a further heatexchanger in which said liquid medium is cooled and means for causingsaid liquid medium to flow in a closed circuit through said furthervessel and through-said further heat exchanger and the installationfurther comprises means for supplying the condensed said one liquid fromsaid further vessel to said separating vessel.

5. An installation according to claim 4 further comprising means for socontrolling the flow of the condensate from said further vessel to saidseparating vessel that the liquid level in the latter remains constant.

6. An installation according to claim 4 in which there are control meansfor so controlling the flow of the condensate from said further vesselto said separating vessel that the liquid level in said further vesselremains constant.

7. An installation according to claim 1 in which said condensing meanscondenses the vapor of said one liquid by bringing it into directcontact with a liquid medium.

8. An installation according to claim 7 wherein the condensing meanscomprises a further vessel in which the contact takes place, a furtherheat exchanger in which said liquid medium is cooled and means forcausing said liquid medium to flow in a closed circuit through saidfurther vessel and through said further heat exchanger.

9. An installation according to claim 1 in which said second liquid iswater and said first liquid is Freon.

10. A method of driving a prime mover, comprising heating an emulsion ofa first liquid in a second liquid so that vapor is produced from one ofsaid liquids, using the vapor from said one liquid to drive the primemover, condensing the vapor of said one liquid which has done work inthe prime mover and supplying the condensed said one liquid to theemulsion being heated.

11. A method according to claim 10 in which the emulsion is heated in aheat exchanger means through which is passed a hot fluid medium in heatexchange relationship through indirect contact with the emulsion.

12. A method according to claim 11 further comprising separating vaporand said one liquid leaving said heat exchanger means and returning theliquid to said heat exchanger means.

13. A method according to claim 10 in which the vapor of said one liquidis condensed by bringing it into direct contact with a liquid medium.

14. A method according to claim 13 further comprising causing to flow ina closed circuit the liquid medium which comes into contact with thevapor which has done work in the prime mover and cooling said liquidmedium in the closed circuit.

15. A method according to claim 13 in which said liquid medium is moreof the one of said first and second liquids other than said one liquid.

16. A method according to claim 15 in which said first liquid is Freonand said second liquid is water.

17. An energy conversion installation comprising a heating means forheating an emulsion of a first liquid in a second liquid whereby one ofsaid liquids is at least partially vaporized, a prime mover which isdriven by vapor of said one liquid, a condensing vessel in which contacttakes place between a liquid medium and the vapor which i has done workin the prime mover whereby the vapor is condensed, a first outlet fromthe condensing vessel, a second outlet from the condensing vessel higherthan the first outlet, first pump means connected to the first outletfor pumping one of said one liquid and said liquid medium out of thecondensing vessel through the first outlet, second pump means connectedto the second outlet for pumping the other of said one liquid and saidliquid medium out of the condensing vessel through the second outlet andmeans for supplying both the pumped out liquids to the emulsion at saidheating means.

18. An installation according to claim 17 in which said heating means isa heat exchanger means in which said emulsion is heated by placing it inheat exchange relationship through indirect contact with a hot fluidmedium flowing through the heat exchanger means.

19. An installation according to claim 18 and further comprising theemulsion and the hot fluid medium in the heat exchanger means.

20. An installation according to claim 18 further comprising aseparating vessel connected to the heat exchanger means to receive fromit said one liquid and its vapor, of which liquid is separated from thevapor in the separating vessel, and means for returning said one liquidfrom the separating vessel to the heat exchanger means.

21. An installation according to claim 20 in which said means forsupplying both the pumped out liquids to the heat exchanger meanscomprises conduit means leading to said separating vessel from said pumpmeans in conjunction with said means for returning said one liquid fromthe separating vessel to the heat exchanger means.

22. An installation according to claim 20 further comprising means forso controlling the flow of the liquid from said first pump means thatthe liquid level in the separating vessel remains constant.

23. An installation according to claim 17 further comprising a furtherheat exchanger in which there is cooled the liquid medium which contactsthe vapor that has done work in the prime mover and means for causingthis liquid medium to flow in a closed circuit through said condensingvessel and through said further heat exchanger.

24. An installation according to claim 17 and further comprising meansfor so controlling the flow of the liquid from said second pump meansthat the liquid level in said condensing vessel remains constant.

1. An energy conversion installation comprising an emulsion of a firstliquid in a second liquid, heating means for heating said emulsionwhereby one of said liquids is at least partially vaporized, a primemover arranged to receive and be driven by the vapor of said one liquidand a condensing means arranged to receive from the prime mover andcondense vapor of said one liquid which has done work in the primemover, the condensing means communicating with said emulsion at saidheating means to return the condensed vapor thereto.
 2. An installationaccording to claim 1 in which said heating means is a heat exchangermeans in which said emulsion is heated by placing it in heat exchangerelationship through indirect contact with a hot fluid medium flowingthrough the heat exchanger means.
 3. An installation according to claim2 and further comprising a separating vessel connected to the heatexchanger means to receive from it said one liquid and its vapor whichare separated in the separating vessel and means for returning said oneliquid from the separating vessel to the heat exchanger means.
 4. Aninstallation according to claim 3 wherein said condensing meanscomprises a further vessel in which direct contact between the vapor ofsaid one liquid and a liquid medium takes place, a further heatexchanger in which said liquid medium is cooled and means for causingsaid liquid medium to flow in a closed circuit through said furthervessel and through said further heat exchanger and the installationfurther comprises means for supplying the condensed said one liquid fromsaid further vessel to said separating vessel.
 5. An installationaccording to claim 4 further comprising means for so controlling theflow of the condensate from said further vessel to said separatingvessel that the liquid level in the latter remains constant.
 6. Aninstallation according to claim 4 in which there are control means forso controlling the flow of the condensate from said further vessel tosaid separating vessel that the liquid level in said further vesselremains constant.
 7. An installation according to claim 1 in which saidcondensing means condenses the vapor of said one liquid by bringing itinto dIrect contact with a liquid medium.
 8. An installation accordingto claim 7 wherein the condensing means comprises a further vessel inwhich the contact takes place, a further heat exchanger in which saidliquid medium is cooled and means for causing said liquid medium to flowin a closed circuit through said further vessel and through said furtherheat exchanger.
 9. An installation according to claim 1 in which saidsecond liquid is water and said first liquid is Freon.
 10. A method ofdriving a prime mover, comprising heating an emulsion of a first liquidin a second liquid so that vapor is produced from one of said liquids,using the vapor from said one liquid to drive the prime mover,condensing the vapor of said one liquid which has done work in the primemover and supplying the condensed said one liquid to the emulsion beingheated.
 11. A method according to claim 10 in which the emulsion isheated in a heat exchanger means through which is passed a hot fluidmedium in heat exchange relationship through indirect contact with theemulsion.
 12. A method according to claim 11 further comprisingseparating vapor and said one liquid leaving said heat exchanger meansand returning the liquid to said heat exchanger means.
 13. A methodaccording to claim 10 in which the vapor of said one liquid is condensedby bringing it into direct contact with a liquid medium.
 14. A methodaccording to claim 13 further comprising causing to flow in a closedcircuit the liquid medium which comes into contact with the vapor whichhas done work in the prime mover and cooling said liquid medium in theclosed circuit.
 15. A method according to claim 13 in which said liquidmedium is more of the one of said first and second liquids other thansaid one liquid.
 16. A method according to claim 15 in which said firstliquid is Freon and said second liquid is water.
 17. An energyconversion installation comprising a heating means for heating anemulsion of a first liquid in a second liquid whereby one of saidliquids is at least partially vaporized, a prime mover which is drivenby vapor of said one liquid, a condensing vessel in which contact takesplace between a liquid medium and the vapor which has done work in theprime mover whereby the vapor is condensed, a first outlet from thecondensing vessel, a second outlet from the condensing vessel higherthan the first outlet, first pump means connected to the first outletfor pumping one of said one liquid and said liquid medium out of thecondensing vessel through the first outlet, second pump means connectedto the second outlet for pumping the other of said one liquid and saidliquid medium out of the condensing vessel through the second outlet andmeans for supplying both the pumped out liquids to the emulsion at saidheating means.
 18. An installation according to claim 17 in which saidheating means is a heat exchanger means in which said emulsion is heatedby placing it in heat exchange relationship through indirect contactwith a hot fluid medium flowing through the heat exchanger means.
 19. Aninstallation according to claim 18 and further comprising the emulsionand the hot fluid medium in the heat exchanger means.
 20. Aninstallation according to claim 18 further comprising a separatingvessel connected to the heat exchanger means to receive from it said oneliquid and its vapor, of which liquid is separated from the vapor in theseparating vessel, and means for returning said one liquid from theseparating vessel to the heat exchanger means.
 21. An installationaccording to claim 20 in which said means for supplying both the pumpedout liquids to the heat exchanger means comprises conduit means leadingto said separating vessel from said pump means in conjunction with saidmeans for returning said one liquid from the separating vessel to theheat exchanger means.
 22. An installation according to claim 20 furthercomprising means for so controlling the flow of the liquid from saidfirst pump meAns that the liquid level in the separating vessel remainsconstant.
 23. An installation according to claim 17 further comprising afurther heat exchanger in which there is cooled the liquid medium whichcontacts the vapor that has done work in the prime mover and means forcausing this liquid medium to flow in a closed circuit through saidcondensing vessel and through said further heat exchanger.
 24. Aninstallation according to claim 17 and further comprising means for socontrolling the flow of the liquid from said second pump means that theliquid level in said condensing vessel remains constant.